The best monitor 2019: the top 10 monitors and displays we’ve reviewed.
By The best monitors you can buy in 2019
With many types of monitor out there, which one is worth the cash?
While the best monitors aren’t going to speed up your computer, they can make your experience much better by making everything easier to see and read, boosting productivity. And, if you ask us, the best monitors will also be affordable, so that anyone can find a cost effective screen that won’t hurt their eyes. With high pixel density, fast refresh rates, and so many different sizes of panel, it’s never been easier to find the best monitor..
Whether you’re looking for a gaming monitor to keep up with the gaming PCs, or if you just bought a MacBook Air and you need one of the best USB-C monitors, you’ve come to the right place. And, you can trust our picks – we’ve tested and reviewed them all ourselves.
1. BenQ PD3200U
Top for (some of) the gamers and pros
Screen size: 32-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 350 cd/m2 | Response time: 4ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | Color support: sRGB 100% | Weight: 8.5kg.
Now that the best PCs can handle 4K easier than ever before, the best 4K monitors are everywhere. That’s why BenQ launched the PD3200U, a massive 32-inch Ultra HD display, as part of its Designer Monitor range. Marketed to creatives and professionals, BenQ has crafted, seemingly by mistake, a panel that gamers can get behind, too – as long as they can find room on their desks. However, 3D designers especially will love this display, thanks to the factory-calibrated color accuracy and CAD/CAM mode.
2. AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition
Ultra-wide on steroids
Screen size: 35-inch | Aspect ratio: 21:9 | Resolution: 3,440 x 1,440 | Brightness: 300 cd/m2 | Response time: 4ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 2,500:1: | Color support: sRGB 100% | Weight: 26 pounds
While the AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition is a gaming monitor through and through, it’s one of the best monitors if you need an ultra-wide display. With its sublime color support, strong contrast ratio and lightning fast 120Hz refresh rate, everything you do on your PC will look better and feel faster. It’s on the pricey side, but this ultra wide monitor can significantly boost productivity, so it’s totally worth it. As long as you have the hardware to drive it, it’s one of the best monitors out there.
3. Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ
Expensive, but beautiful
Screen size: 27-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 600 cd/m2 | Response time: 4ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 50,000:1 | Color support: Adobe RGB 99% | Weight: 28 pounds
If you’ve been shopping around for a high-end monitor and you’re ready to just throw your hands up and buy the most expensive monitor you can find, you’re in luck. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ combines so many high end features that it almost seems ridiculous. It doesn’t just feature a 4K UHD display at 144Hz, but it’s also rocking Nvidia G-Sync and HDR. This is simply the best monitor on the market, but it costs an arm and a leg. If you’re playing games, doing photo and video editing work, or even just general desktop work, you can’t go wrong with this monitor, as long as you have the cash.
4. Acer Predator X34
A gaming monitor with attitude
Screen size: 34-inch | Aspect ratio: 21:9 | Resolution: 3440 x 1440 Brightness: 300 cd/m2 | Response time: 4ms G2G (grey-to-grey) | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 100 million:1 | Colour support: SRGB 100% | Weight: 9.9kg
When you start to grow weary of the same old 16:9 aspect ratio, nothing hits the spot like a cinematic 21:9 display. It’s probably not the best for watching Netflix or YouTube, but the Acer Predator X34 is a great example of what an ultra-wide monitor can do. Boasting an attractive aluminum bezel and polygonal stand that resembles a bird’s foot, this massive 34-inch monitor is a wonder to look at. More importantly, armed with Nvidia’s G-Sync tech, you won’t need V-Sync stressing out your graphics card. The Acer Predator X34 does all the heavy lifting for you. This is about as immersive as a gaming monitor gets.
5. Asus Designo Curve MX38VC
Whole wide world
Screen size: 37.5-inch | Aspect ratio: 21:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 1,600 | Brightness: 300 cd/m2 | Response time: 5ms G2G (grey-to-grey) | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | Color support: 1.07 million colors | Weight: 9.9kg
Ultrawide monitors are nothing new: they’ve been among the best monitors for a few years now, in fact. These wide monitors are lifesavers when it comes to productivity and are getting more popular than ever – and the Asus Designo Curve MX38VC takes it to another level. Not only does this monitor have a huge 3,840 x 1,600 resolution, but with USB-C compatibility and a Qi wireless charger built into the base, it’s going to be a workplace companion you can’t live without. It’s a bit expensive, and doesn’t feature HDR, but that’s a worthy sacrifice, especially for professionals.
6. Dell UltraSharp UP3218K
Back to the future
Screen size: 32-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 7,680 x 4,320 | Brightness: 400 cd/m2 | Response time: 6ms | Viewing angle: N/A | Contrast ratio: 1,300:1 | Color support: sRGB 100% | Weight: 8.5kg
We don’t often run into technology that’s so far ahead of the curve that we’re left dumbfounded. The Dell UltraSharp UP3218K is the most recent example. Finding a monitor that can reach the raw beauty this one does should be impossible. It’s not just the resolution, either – Dell went a long way to make sure that the build quality and color reproduction are the best in the business, and well, it is. The Dell UltraSharp UP3218K is aimed at professionals, obviously, so if that sounds like it’s up your alley, it’s probably the best monitor for you.
This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the BenQ PD3200U
7. BenQ EX3203R
High-res, low-cost
Screen size: 31.5-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440 | Brightness: 400 cd/m2 | Response time: 4ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 3,000:1 | Color support: DCI-P3 90% | Weight: 13.4kg
If you’re looking for a great 1440p monitor with HDR for multimedia and gaming, the BenQ EX3203R might be the best monitor for you. This monitor is notable because it manages to bring in a ton of high-end features into a monitor that is extremely affordable. And, while 32 inches might sound like a bit much for a monitor, the 1800R curvature on this BenQ panel means that it’s easy to use, both for productivity and for immersion in your games and media.
This product is only available in the US at the time of writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Acer S277HK
8. Alienware 25
A ubiquitous solution to screen tearing
Screen size: 24.5-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 | Brightness: 400 cd/m2 | Response time: 1ms | Viewing angle: 170/160 | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | Color support: sRGB 119% | Weight: 11.7kg
Depending on your budget, it might break the bank – like any Alienware product – but Dell’s 25-inch gaming monitor will all but eliminate screen tearing. Whether you have an AMD Radeon VII or an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080, there’s a configuration for you. With G-Sync or FreeSync taking away some of the heavy lifting from the GPU that would otherwise be spent on VSync, the Alienware 25’s 120Hz refresh rate may actually be viable. And, the 1ms response time is just the gravy on top.
9. BenQ Zowie XL2540
A monitor tailored to the needs of professional gamers
Screen size: 24-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 | Brightness: 400 cd/m2 | Response time: 1ms | Viewing angle: 170/160 | Contrast ratio: 1000:1 | Color support: NTSC 72% | Weight: 7.5kg
You might not believe it at first glance, but the BenQ Zowie XL2540 is every bit the gaming monitor that the Asus Predator X34 is. And though it may not seem it from the outside looking in, it does its job remarkably well too, sacrificing dazzling lighting effects for a zippy 240Hz refresh rate and nigh-instantaneous 1ms response time. There’s no G-Sync or FreeSync, as this monitor assumes you already have a rig that’s plenty capable of eliminating screen tears on its own. Instead, this monitor keeps it simple by supplying you with lots of visual presets, an “S Switch” control pod for managing those presets and even a pair of adjustable light screens.
10. LG 34UC79G-B
A reasonable entryway to ultra wide and FreeSync
Screen size: 34-inch | Aspect ratio: 21:9 | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,080 | Brightness: 250 cd/m2 | Response time: 10.3ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 1000:1 | Color support: sRGB 92.1% | Weight: 8.6kg
If you’re running games using a weaker GPU and you’re looking to get into ultra-wide displays without spending a fortune, you might want to check the LG 34UC79G-B out. This monitor, measuring in at 34-inches diagonally, is equipped with AMD FreeSync for screen tear elimination and a 21:9 aspect ratio best suited for games and cinema. Despite its resolution being lower than other ultrawide displays out there, this LG monitor pulls off a crisp image nonetheless – and with stunning color accuracy at that. Plus, you can change the height, which is more than can be said for even some of the more expensive 4K monitors out there.
